Woodcliff Lake, NJ – April 3, 2012… BMW, the Official Mobility Partner of the United States Olympic Committee, today announced the completion and hand-off of its first Olympic technology project, a velocity measurement system created in collaboration with sports scientists at the USOC and USA Track & Field. Bryan Clay, 2008 Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon, tested the system during the development process.

Nearly one year in development at the BMW Technology Office in Mountain View, Calif., the system captures an athlete in motion and automatically calculates performance metrics for coaches to use in training long jumpers. Beginning today, the technology will be a permanent fixture at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., and used by athletes hoping to compete in the London 2012 Olympic Games.

By measuring and providing real-time analysis of three key parameters in the execution of a long jump – horizontal approach velocity, vertical take-off velocity and take-off angle – the system is completely unique in its offering to coaches and athletes in training scenarios. BMW developed the technology in response to a real-time data need identified by USA Track & Field, one of four national governing bodies (NGB) sponsored by BMW.